A/N: Hi Guys! I'm hopeful that the length of this chapter will make up for the last few slow updates. I haven't been this excited to write a chapter since I wrote Chapter 31 - Whole. I really hope this doesn't disappoint as the finale of the Revelation Arc. If you want to ask me any questions about the events of this chapter, or AQR as a whole, you can catch me on Tumblr as Soron Rocket. I also now have the 'P' which shall not be named (lol) as well as Ko-fi, so if you'd like to support my endeavours into the world of original fiction, as well as getting some fun additional content and WIP previews for all of my projects, including my original and fanfic work, then head over to Tumblr or send me a message. Much love and thanks to everyone who takes time out of their day to read my crazy ramblings!

ARC 4: REVELATION

'The act of making something known that was a secret, or a fact that is made known.'

CHAPTER 40: Fight

The journey back was rough. For so many reasons.

Levi found, to his surprise, air travel did not agree with him, despite having spent a good portion of his life flying through the skies on ODM gear. It probably had something to do with the lack of control he had over a fucking great airship piloted by someone else. Thank The Walls Onyankopon seemed to know what he was doing.

Another reason was the fact that he was stuck in a confined space with the one man he had spent the last four years of his life detesting with every fibre of his being. And what's more, this asshole seemed to revel in it.

"Why the long face, Levi?"

Levi groaned inaudibly.

"Oh - is it because you're finally within touching distance of me again, but you can't lift a blade right now?" Zeke rubbed at his bearded chin as he sat across from him, hands regenerated and legs three-quarters of the way there. "I sure expect that would anger a man."

"I'm no man," Levi shot back before he could help himself. "I'm the damn monster that is going to carve you up like a nice roast hog the very second you step a toe out of line."

He sat back in his chair, tucking his hands beneath his biceps as he crossed his arms. Titan steam curled in mocking tendrils from the man across from him. It was an eerily familiar sight as the airship rocked and juddered around the pair.

Except this time, Zeke Jaeger was smirking.

Fuck Zeke Jaeger.

Fuck this.

Levi's stomach lurched unpleasantly. His eyes drifted to the door at the end of the cabin, behind which, he knew his squad were carefully wrapping the body of their comrade Sasha Braus. It'd been just a kid that had taken her life - a kid that was now huddled in the corner of the room with her companion, both their faces still and pale with what he could only suspect was fear.

They'd been so close.

So damn close to getting out of this unscathed, by some miracle. But close wasn't good enough, was it? He'd lost one of his own. Again. It made it even harder to comprehend Eren's actions, and therefore, by extension, Historia's.

His arms ached, so he uncrossed them again, stretching them out in front of him and twisting them at the elbows until they both cracked. That felt good; the physicality anchoring him somewhere away from the maelstrom of emotions currently occupying his mind. His wrists clicked as he rotated them. He was getting old; there was no denying the fact. He'd been out of practice the last few years - training hard everyday was still no substitute for actually being out on the battlefield.

"Sounds like you might need oiling there, Cap. You must be getting on a bit, now."

Zeke's comment made him bristle inwardly, but he forced his face into cold indifference.

"And yet I could still hand your ass to you, beardy, without breaking a sweat."

Zeke rubbed his chin again, appearing unbothered. "I wonder?"

"Tch." Levi straightened his back, rolling his shoulders. He twisted his head to crack his neck.

"I imagine trying to keep pace with a teenager must be rather exhausting, too, for a man of your years. In some activities more than others."

Levi stiffened immediately, eyes wide.

The utter gall of this bastard. Did he know the extent of Levi's relationship with Historia at this point, or was he just referring to her pregnancy? For the briefest of moments, he was on a rooftop in Shiganshina, staring down at a bloodied, blonde body with a syringe in his hand. A memory he'd revisited countless times. Except this time, the body wasn't Erwin's, or Armin's: it was Historia's.

He practically snarled at the man across from him. "Don't you even dare -"

The sound of Zeke chuckling stopped him short. He was laughing? Actually fucking laughing at him?

"Well, Levi. Seems like you have a thing for blondes, no? Should I watch myself? Or maybe I'm a little too old and the wrong gender, as you appear to be eyeing up the younger ladies these days."

How much had Eren told this bastard? Did he know about them because Historia had confessed her feelings to Eren at the Banquet?

"Keep fucking talking, shithead, and the only thing you'll need to be watching are my blades."

Levi could hear the hatred in his own voice; he knew his stony facade had quickly crumbled at the hands of this despicable man. But he didn't give a shit in that moment. He was livid. And Zeke's jibes stung all the more in light of Historia's betrayal.

"Levi!"

His simmering train of thought was cut off by the entrance of Hange. She was flanked by Eren and Yelena as she threw the door of the cockpit open with a loud snap. Her gaze shifted between the silent children in the corner, Zeke's obscene grin and what Levi knew must be a hateful expression twisting his own face.

"Everything good in here?" She asked slowly, still looking from one man to the other.

"Oh yes." Zeke continued to smile in the most irritating way possible. "Captain Levi and I were just catching up about his love life."

Levi simply glowered, unwilling to look at either of them. His gaze fixed onto the join between panels on the wall opposite, just past Zeke's head. The steam was beginning to clear now; Zeke's limbs all but fully formed.

"Okay," Hange said, clearly unconvinced. She gestured for Eren to sit beside Levi - a very fucking risky move, truly - while Yelena perched herself beside Zeke.

Levi couldn't bring himself to look at Eren. It was as though his transformation into an entirely different person was complete with the horrific act he'd just committed in Liberio. Right now any guilt for the kick he'd delivered square to Eren's jaw when they'd picked him up was nowhere to be found. Instead, Levi wished he'd kicked him harder.

"We'll be arriving back at the island soon. Eren - you will be detained with me in Mitras, along with our other captives …"

Her gaze moved briefly back to the children, who were still watching in wary silence. Shit; as dark as his past had been at points, Levi never thought he'd see the day where the Survey Corps, of all people, were locking up brats as young as these two.

Eren said nothing in response.

"Zeke - you will be escorted by Captain Levi to a separate location."

Levi was grateful that beard-face had no further smart comments to make, either. He'd never be one to put his personal feelings above the line of duty, but fuck, it was going to be a task spending days with this hairy bastard without sticking a blade in him. His fingers twitched for his weapons instinctively, so he crossed his arms and tucked his hands away again.

The airship gave another shudder, the metal in it's structure rattling eerily. The sooner they set foot back onto the solid ground of their little island, the fucking better.

"Who's coming?"

Historia sat upright in the chair, her knuckles white as she clung to the arms. George leaned over her, his features creased with concern. She tried to steady her breathing, fully aware her panic couldn't be good for the child.

"Zeke. He's with Levi."

George continued to frown. "Historia - how do you know?"

Her fingers met her temple. "I just saw him. Them."

George's frown vanished then. His eyes widened. "Another vision?"

"Yeah."

He pushed his hair back from his eyes and sucked in a sharp breath.

"It's alright. They're on an airship, I think. Zeke won't come anywhere near here - Levi and Commander Hange will have him detained, I'm sure." She wasn't though. Not entirely. It had seemed like they were inside one of those big airships Onyankopon had told them about. Zeke had clearly been incapacitated, if the Titan steam was anything to go by. But who was piloting the ship and where they were headed was uncertain.

Could the Survey Corps really have failed, though?

She prayed that Levi and the others were safe. She prayed they were headed for Paradis, even if it was with Zeke in tow. And she prayed Zackley and the government weren't reckless enough to risk trying to turn her while pregnant, if it came down to that.

"Was Eren with them?"

Eren.

Had he succeeded in his terrible plan? She had no idea. He hadn't appeared in the fleeting vision. Her friend's fate hung in the ether. She felt a sickly concoction of emotions at the thought of him - fear, anger, guilt.

"I didn't see."

"Oh. Right."

The pair sat in a heavy silence for several long moments, before George spoke again.

"It's late. You should go up to bed, Historia."

Bed? How could she sleep at a time like this? Chances were, Levi was on his way home. Her heart lifted a fraction at the thought.

She pushed up clumsily from the chair and began pacing. "Tomorrow," she blurted, "tomorrow - we should make plans for me to head to Mitras, as soon as we get word of their safe return." Surely that would be the Corps first stop once they were back on home soil. "Their Queen should be there to welcome them home properly!"

George didn't reply straight away, which was odd. She'd expected him to be on board with the idea. She paused her pacing and looked over to him. The lone candle he'd left flickering on the side table cast a soft glow across his face. A face set with determination.

"No."

Historia blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"It's far too dangerous right now, Historia."

She frowned at him. "What? Don't be ridiculous - I need to -"

"Stay here," George cut across her. "You need to stay here where you're safe. Think about it, His. We don't know in what state everyone is returning. You said you just saw a glimpse of Zeke with the Captain. We don't know who was in control of that situation, do we?"

She hated that he was voicing her own reservations aloud. But now she couldn't shake the need to see Levi's face again; even if they couldn't talk, even if he was preoccupied with Zeke Jaeger. Just to see him in the flesh, alive and moody as ever - that would be enough. Her heart had spent so long aching for him; she couldn't stand to just sit around and wait any longer. "Well, no - that's why I said we'll wait until we have word. Once we know it's safe, I should make sure I'm ready to head out."

George shook his head resolutely. "If Zeke really is on his way here, with Captain Levi and the others, do you really want to place yourself, the Paradis Government and him all within the same city at the same time? You told me the government can't be trusted - that's why we're in this situation right now. Are you confident they won't get spooked and take a risk with you?"

Historia faltered. It wasn't like George to be so insistent. She suddenly regretted telling him so much about the situation. She should always have stuck to her original assertion - the less he knew, the safer it was for him. The nights had become lonely in Levi's absence, though, and the weight of her situation seemed too heavy to bear alone, and who else was there to confide in? After that night he'd found her beneath the tree, shivering in her rain-soaked nightclothes, George had spent almost every waking hour watching over her. She'd lost count of the times she'd talked over things with him until the candles burned down to shimmering pools, and their teacups were drained several times over. She couldn't even remember on which of these occasions she'd told him about the Government's plan to turn her into the Beast Titan.

Levi would tell her she was reckless to reveal so much to him.

The baby kicked at her hand where it rested against her swollen belly. She thought of Levi's letter, and his question, and the medal that belonged to him, too; tucked beneath her pillow upstairs.

It was time to give it back. She would admit the mistake she'd made by trusting Eren, and ask for his forgiveness.

"George - I need to be there."

The sudden extinguishing of the remaining candle made her jump. George straightened, holding his hand out to her. "Why don't you go to bed, Historia? It's late, and tiring yourself out thinking about all this won't be good for the baby. Go to bed, and we can sort it all out in the morning."

Historia's hand rubbed circles into her stomach as she glared at George with defiance. "I'm fine."

His face seemed to soften somewhat. "The Captain asked me to look after you, remember? I'm just trying to do what's best for you and the baby."

She hesitated. It was hard to deny the way her back ached and her legs felt like lead weights by this point in the evening. She'd be no good to Levi tomorrow if she couldn't even keep her eyes open to look at his sullen face. Oh, how she missed that face. Her hand covered her mouth to stifle a yawn, but she knew George had already won. He was right. She needed sleep.

"Fine. I'll sleep. But in the morning, as soon as there's word, we leave for Mitras."

Levi ran his hands through his hair. Amongst all the carnage; all the grief; all the hatred, his thoughts continually strayed back to her.

Historia.

The contents of his letter to her, sent before his vision and the revelation of her betrayal, circled in his thoughts. He wondered if she had any idea of what he'd seen, or that he'd been given a glimpse into her side of things at all, for that matter. If not, she'd have no idea what was heading her way.

Part of him actually felt sympathy for her - Sasha's death was going to eat her up, he knew. But then another, more hardened and spiteful part of him, felt like she deserved it.

How could she lie to him? How could she fall asleep curled against him so many times, knowing that she had betrayed him by keeping that conversation with Eren to herself? This wasn't some shitty game. Well, maybe that's what he got for getting himself involved with a nineteen year old, after all. Reckless youth. He couldn't even have it out with Eren, either. Not in front everyone. In front of fucking Zeke. He glared at him from his position opposite as the airship finally made its descent towards the clear patch of land designated for landing, just inside of Wall Sina.

"We've cleared Ehrmich District and the wall; looks like we'll be on solid ground in less than ten minutes." Hange declared after returning from the cockpit.

"Thank fuck for that," Levi grumbled.

"Such a shame you're not one for the delights of air travel, Levi. The science behind it is quite extraordinary. Isn't that so, Commander Hange?"

Zeke was sporting a shit eating grin as Hange sat herself beside Levi. She was quite clearly taken aback by his conversational tone. Levi wanted to knock those damn teeth out of his head. It was as though the fucker hadn't murdered hundreds of their men. Murdered Erwin.

"Uh … quite, yeah." It was the most subdued Levi had ever heard her in the face of conversations about science-y shit. He was proud of her for not taking the smarmy bastard's bait.

He noticed Hange and the Liberio brats were all staring at his waist. It dawned on him that his hand had found it's way to his gear - his fist clenched around the handle tightly, his whole arm taught with angry tension. He slackened his grip quickly, finding himself suddenly unable to meet Hange's eyes. He needed to keep his damn emotions in check.

Zackley, Dok and Pixis were all there to greet them when they disembarked. There was no sign of the royal carriage, however. Levi supposed news might not have even reached Historia of their return as yet. Even if she was here, he wasn't sure what he could very well say to her in front of so many prying eyes. Turbulent emotions swirled within him every time he thought of her, and he wasn't sure whether he most wanted to kiss her or demand answers to why she'd betrayed him. Either way, it all belonged behind closed doors.

Shit, it would have been nice to see that sunny face again, though. Had the brat kicked yet?

He saluted stiffly beside Hange, before they both headed down the ramp flanked by their captives. To their rear, the scouts carried the bodies of the fallen comrades they'd managed to salvage. The loud sniffing from Connie somewhere behind him told him he was carrying the covered body of Sasha Braus with Jean. He found himself briefly reminded of a target training session where he'd told the pair of them to pay attention and stop yacking.

Fuck. He was going to miss having to kick their immature asses when they got together.

"Captain! Commander! I'm very much interested to hear the debrief from this particular mission, but first I think we ought to deal with our guests …"

Zackley's eyes flashed in the dawn light as he took in the party before him. His gaze lingered on Zeke, who seemed content to stare back quite calmly.

Hange addressed him measuredly. "Thank you for sending the reinforcements I requested, Premier. They were integral to the success of this mission. We would like to contact the families of the fallen as a priority and arrange for burials. I will be available to debrief once we have incarcerated Eren and Zeke Jaeger separately."

Levi glanced at Eren. His face looked like it had been carved from granite as he stared at the Premier, the brats standing awkwardly beside him. It was as though they really had lost him completely at this point.

"Yes. Agreed."

Well, at least Zeke fucking Jaeger was good for one thing. If he was watching him, Levi could be excused from sitting in a meeting room in the middle of Mitras for hours listening to that old bastard's drivel

George didn't sleep a wink. He tossed and turned in the cramped single bed in the room down the hallway from the children's. There was a plan that needed to be followed. The words looped round in his head; a refrain he couldn't shake:

Keep Historia safe at the Orphanage. Keep her and the baby safe, until Floch comes for them. Those are your orders.

Well, that was easier said than done. George had recognised the look that Historia had worn before he practically forced her to get some rest last night. It was the look of a woman who refused to be swayed. But still - he needed to keep her safe. Keep her safe and sound, tucked away at the Orphanage. He had his orders.

When she stirred, he was already downstairs in the kitchen, making a breakfast of scrambled eggs.

He steeled himself as she walked through the door wrapped in her nightgown.

"Morning."

"Hey."

He spooned the eggs onto a plate for her.

"Any news?"

He shook his head.

"Oh." The disappointment in her voice was like a blow to his chest.

Picking up the plates, he gestured towards the dining room. "There's tea in there, too."

They ate mostly in silence. The sound of cutlery clattering against the porcelain made George want to gnash his teeth together. It was going to kill him, stopping her leaving. But he knew - it had to be done. It was necessary, for everyone's sakes.

The knock at the door ricocheted through the room the moment Historia had set her fork down. He made to get up, but her chair legs were already shrieking across the floorboards.

"I'll get it!"

Damnit. For a pregnant woman, she could still move like a hare. He clenched his fist on the tabletop as he strained to listen.

It sounded like an MP - bringing news of the Survey Corps return, no doubt. He needed to step in quickly - to figure out a way of persuading her to stay. Or even …

No. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

He took a sip of his tea, and almost dropped the cup. There was a thud, and muffled commotion. He leapt from the table and burst into the hallway.

There, in the doorway, Historia was hunched over on her knees. He couldn't make out her face; her head was cradled in her hands as the MP hovered over her. But from the way her shoulders shook, it was obvious that she was sobbing.

Bread.

It was the funniest of things to start a friendship over, really, but it became a bit of a tradition for Historia and Sasha. Ever since that first evening back in the Training Corps, when good little Krista had fed the girl a small loaf after her gruelling punishment for the potato incident, it had become somewhat symbolic of their relationship.

Sasha maintained that there was no problem in life that couldn't be remedied by something edible. Historia always chose bread.

When Ymir ridiculed Sasha for hiding her true self from the other trainees. When both girls found themselves distraught in the aftermath of the battle for Trost. When they both shed a tear during Commander Erwin's recruitment speech, but decided to join the Survey Corps anyway. When they were reunited in the days following Sasha bravely saving the little girl from Dauper Village during a titan attack. When Historia found herself devastated over Ymir's decision to leave her behind. When Sasha and the rest of Squad Levi came for her at the Reiss Chapel. At the training barracks, at the Survey Corps HQ, at Levi Squad's hideout, at the Orphanage …

There were so many moments they'd shared. So many occasions which called for bread. And camaraderie. And friendship in the face of fear, sorrow and loss.

Now … who would she share bread with, as she came to terms with this latest loss?

Historia's heart hurt. It was familiar and different all at the same time. Wasn't that just the nature of loss, though? You never lost the same person twice. But it was that same heavy finality, the same notion that there was a zero percent chance of them walking back through your front door, no matter how much your soul ached for it.

The guilt was something new, though.

Historia let George steer her back into the dining room. She wasn't sure at what point the MP left, or when George had poured her more tea and added sugar. The sweetness of the drink steadied her, and she realised that uncomfortable sobbing sound which had filled the place up to rafters until moments ago had in fact been coming from her.

"Historia …" His voice was soft. Sad.

She looked at the space at the table where Sasha had sat months ago, devouring Historia's home cooked food. Reaching for the extra bread rolls. How she'd wailed openly when she had to return to the barracks.

Historia would give anything to cook just one more meal for her. To enjoy just one more moment of friendship over a bite of bread.

"I'm alright," she lied, as soon as she could string words together.

"It's okay not to be."

She wanted to yell at George; to ask him: how would he know? He had never been a soldier. He couldn't know loss like this. But then, she thought about Thomas, and his father, and she bit her tongue.

It wasn't the loss he couldn't understand, was it? No. It was the guilt.

His hand circled her back as she sat hunched over her cup, and she wondered if things would have really been different if she'd told someone about Eren's confession. Told Levi.

Levi.

He was safe. He had returned. How would he feel, once he knew of her betrayal? Now that it had potentially cost him one of his squad members? Would Levi have made Eren reveal his full plan before he could leave for Marley, if she'd only confided in him? Would Sasha still be alive?

The baby squirmed. For the first time in over a month, Historia felt bile threaten at the back of her throat.

"I have to go -"

She flung the chair back. If George said anything in response, she didn't hear him.

George knew what he would do, as he watched her flee upstairs. Her cheeks were flushed and wet with tears.

The MP had explained what had happened.

He'd always liked Sasha. She seemed exceptionally genuine; the type of girl to wear her heart on her sleeve. His eyes fell to his hands as his fingers were laced and unlaced agitatedly upon the tabletop.

He had his orders. Historia was to stay here - where she was safe. But had Eren counted on losses so close to home? Had he expected that they would lose one of their closest comrades? That Historia would be hurting like this when they returned?

He had his orders: Keep her safe. Make sure she stays at the Orphanage. Floch will come. He was doing this for her. For Thomas.

Thomas.

Hadn't his brother fought alongside Sasha, too?

He remembered the rushed goodbyes in the chaos of Trost. They couldn't even have a proper burial for him, because his body was never recovered. They had recovered Sasha's body. It was in Mitras, waiting to be buried alongside other fallen soldiers. The service would be held tomorrow, the MP had said.

Would Eren really want Historia to be kept away from that? From saying goodbye to her friend? Their friend?

It didn't matter, anyway. George had already made his mind up. He knew what he was going to do, regardless of what his orders were. Thomas would agree with him if he were here, he knew. Eren surely would understand Historia's need to be there - the reason George couldn't follow his orders on this occasion. And if he couldn't understand, well … that was just too bad.

Because George was no subordinate soldier.

He rose from the table with renewed purpose.

Historia bent over the toilet bowl. She wretched once, but got no relief. Despite the faint draft creeping through the open door, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, a sheen of sweat coated her forehead. She fumbled around for a hair tie.

The guilt and loss, coupled with a yearning to see Levi again which seemed to stem from her very bones, was enough to make her head spin.

Reaching for the sink edge, she pulled herself awkwardly to her feet. Water ran into the basin, and her fingers broke the cool surface as she began to splash her face. Little droplets caught the diluted morning light from the window, like shards of glass tossed up into the air. Light flashed across her vision.

The universe shifted.

The whiteness was blinding. Historia threw up her arms to shield her eyes, but they weren't there. She had the peculiar feeling of her feet leaving the floor and not returning again, as though something otherworldly had yanked her soul from her body. And the whiteness just burned. It burned into her pupils, burned until she was sure she'd gone blind, and this stark illumination was just her mind subverting the darkness.

She tried to speak, to gasp out, to breathe even, but her chest was rigid stone. Yet she wasn't suffocating. For how long she hung there, in this state of suspended animation amidst blinding brightness, she couldn't say.

Then her vision flickered and rippled, like a cloak in the wind.

Levi.

Bathed in the ethereal light, he appeared before her. So near and yet an impossible distance away at the same time. Because of the angle at which he stood, his right side was obscured by a glow which was no longer harsh and burning, but soft and warm. He turned towards her, and the solid wall in her chest melted away. She could now see him entirely. A scar ran down the right of his face, striking straight through his eye like a bolt of angry lightening. But he wasn't looking at her.

His gaze was directed at the child cradled in his arms.

"Hey …"

His usually toneless, bored baritone rang like music in her ears. But he wasn't speaking to her. She watched as he lifted the child toward his face.

Then he smiled.

The sight before her shattered like a mirror.

She was in darkness, and her feet were back firmly rooted to the ground. Agonised wails whipped around her like a gale, but she couldn't see anything. The ground began to shake and tremble.

It began to rumble.

Her voice returned to her in a rush of breath, and she screamed out for Levi. For their child. She couldn't see anything as she whirled around, frantically searching with hands outstretched, but there was nothing to grab on to. Nothing to hold.

The rumbling stopped, and the ground disappeared, and she began to tumble. Her limbs met resistance which felt something like water, and then out of the gloom, the glowing silhouette of a figure began to appear. She flung herself clumsily forwards towards it, sure it must be Levi.

The glow faded, the features solidified, and the face before her became clear.

Her breath caught in her throat as she stared into the azure eyes of Zeke Jaeger. She tried to lash out, but her hands sliced through him like he was nothing but thin air. He raised a fist, and for a moment, she thought he was going to strike her back. But he simply held it out to her, his face blank.

It was at that moment that she noticed what he held. A cravat hung limply from his grip; blood blooming at it's edges like the petals of a rose.

Historia choked.

She was back before the sink, and it felt like she'd inhaled some of the water. Footsteps pounded up the stairway somewhere outside. She lifted her gaze to the mirror, blood screaming in her ears as her fingers trembled against the porcelain basin-edge.

Her eyes watered, but through the blur and the panic and the confusion, something had changed. Her hair looked darker. Her pupils more turquoise.

Her reflection spoke involuntarily.

"Fight."

The room tipped into blackness.

He wouldn't be going to the burial - all thanks to fucking Zeke Jaeger. There would be no time to say goodbye to his comrades, to the dead girl from his squad. Not when the Beast titan needed babysitting. Levi would normally say a few words about bravery and dedication to duty and other such bullshit during those sort of services.

He hated it.

Not because he didn't feel the need to honour the sacrifices of his fallen comrades, but more because he knew the only real way to give their lives and deaths meaning, was to get back out there as soon as possible and carry on. No shitty service was going to bring them comfort, or bring them back. It was purely for the sake of the living. Levi had done his grieving on the journey back from the battlefield. He had neither the time nor the patience to wallow.

So all things considered, not being there wasn't the worst thing in the world for him.

The little fabric badge from Sasha's uniform which lay upon his desk crossed his mind fleetingly as he stood outside the HQ in Mitras, and he thought he should perhaps give it to Connie. Or even that Nicolo guy, who'd always seemed to be hanging around her. He spoke with his cab driver, carefully going over last minute checks before they needed to leave. The horses tossed their heads impatiently as the early morning traffic rattled over the cobbled roads around them. It was busier than usual because of the burials, despite the service not starting for another hour or so.

He could see Zeke's blank face through the gap in the cab curtains. Fucker was on Erwin's level of cool and collected. Levi suddenly hated himself for comparing the two if them. He wondered what he'd have to say about the situation they now found themselves in.

Hell, Levi. I order you to kill the Beast Titan, and now you're taking cosy cab rides with him?

He scoffed at the thought.

"Everything okay, Captain?" The driver was staring at him.

"Uh, yeah. Fine. Looks like we're set."

He'd spent a snatched half hour with Hange the evening previous, after her debrief with Zackley. Just to finalise their way forwards. And, although he tried to stop himself, to see if there was any way he'd get to see Historia before he was practically banished to the forest with that hairy bastard for Walls knew how long. Inwardly, he was somewhat disappointed that he hadn't at least heard from her since their return, although he was assured that she was safe and well, holed up at the Orphanage with her lover.

Her fucking lover.

Perhaps she'd changed her mind about him. Perhaps that was why she hadn't ever told him about Eren's confession. George was closer to her own age and one hell of a lot friendlier, not to mention more dependable. Maybe now he was her fucking lover. Wouldn't that be just his luck, that he'd be the last to know? She'd probably laughed at the letter he sent to her.

The thoughts festered as he made to step up into the carriage. Something made him stop though. The sound of another carriage heading down the rickety street towards them.

The wheels sounded ridiculously big.

He turned, and was met with the sight of the Royal Carriage. A pair of breathtakingly blue eyes met his through the window, and time stood still. Something like a heavy stone settled in the pit of his stomach. It was the realisation of just how much he wanted to see the Queen, despite what she'd done. He was a fucking sap, alright.

Historia gazed out of the carriage window. Her eyes were unfocused as the grey buildings passed by, all blending into one another.

Her strange visions from the day before swirled in her minds eye like storm clouds which threatened on the horizon. They were nothing like she'd experienced before; they weren't through Levi's eyes, or Zeke's, it seemed. And they weren't memories. The child Levi had been holding drew her to the idea that they may be future events … the item Zeke held, however, made her desperately pull away from that conclusion. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine.

Fight.

That word seemed to echo from somewhere deep within her conscious. Ever since she'd awoken from fainting beside the sink, it resounded in her head every time she let her mind wander for just a moment.

Across from her, George sat in silence.

She knew how he worried - he'd told her over and over it was dangerous coming to Mitras when the situation was so volatile. It was sweet, really, how much he cared for her. He'd make someone a wonderful husband one day. He would not make a Queen's husband, though. A Queen couldn't be smothered like that. She might seem like just a girl, but Historia knew she could handle herself if it came down to it. She hadn't come this far just to be locked up in some farmhouse in the middle of nowhere while her comrades died around her. She at least needed to be here to pay her respects.

George looked up at her and smiled reassuringly. "You okay?"

"Yes. I'll be fine."

She looked back out of the window, and that was when she saw them. A pair of steely grey eyes glancing across the cobblestones from beside a carriage.

It was like a jolt of lightenig to the heart.

"Stop!" She yelled through the window at the driver. George jumped out of his skin. "I need you to stop for a few minutes."

"Historia -" His face was ashen, but she didn't care as she ducked through the door.

"Captain."

He knew she'd seen him across the street as the carriage had rolled by. The sound of his title, so formal on her tongue, made him square his jaw as he stood facing his own cab. "Your Majesty." He turned to her, and the first thing he noticed was how her eyes were circled red, her cheeks blotchy. It was always so easy to tell when she'd been crying. He suddenly ached to put his arms around her. "I gave you my word that I'd be back. Alive."

Don't die, Levi.

If only his squad had been as good at following his orders as he, hers.

"You did. It's ... so very, very good to see you."

They were stood in the middle of a busy street; people and traffic and horses everywhere, the clatter of carriage wheels and tapping of footsteps the soundtrack to this moment of sudden and intense emotion. Levi found it hard to pay attention to any of the details of it, though, when he was presented with the sight of her. She looked so fucking beautiful, despite her tear stained face. Goddess-like, in fact. He looked at her abdomen. She was quite obviously pregnant, now. The bump had taken over her little frame, but damn, did it suit her down to the ground. She glowed, despite the sadness in her eyes.

If George did turn out to be her actual lover, now, he was going put his boot in his freckled face.

"You look … good."

Fuck.

That was shit. That was so shit. He'd been gone for months. She probably hadn't even been sure if he'd return. And that was the best he could come up with? She looked good?

It was because they were in public. Anyone could see, he told himself. He was at a disadvantage when he had to use clever words instead of physicality to express himself. If they'd have been in private, he'd have his hands on her by now.

And then he'd ask her what the fuck she'd been thinking by lying to him about Eren.

Historia gave him a small smile. Her cheeks flushed. "Thank you, Captain. You look very well, yourself."

He supposed he did, considering he'd just come from a site of devastation which was potentially going to start a world war.

"Historia …?" Right on queue, there was Farm Boy. Levi almost rolled his eyes when the floppy haired farmer stuck his head out of the royal carriage across the way. "We're going to be late."

Historia looked pained. She glanced at Levi's carriage. "Are you coming to the service?"

He pushed his hands into his pockets. "No."

"Where are you going?" There was a note of concern in her voice.

Levi looked back at the carriage. One pale blue eye was visible through the curtains behind a circular lens. Historia seemed to catch on quickly.

"Is … is he … in there?" Her words were nothing but a whisper.

Levi nodded. He felt duty weigh heavy on his shoulders, and for the first time since he could ever remember, he wished he could just fuck it all off. Buy a little house with all the military wage that he'd never spent, and whisk Historia away there and just lock the front door. Lock the whole world out.

"I'm going to be gone for a while, Historia. Your Majesty. But I'll be back before …" His gaze fell to where her hand rested against her stomach.

She looked panicked. "No - there's something I need to discuss with you before you leave. Please, it's important."

He adjusted his cravat. They had a schedule to keep to, but fuck it; he wanted just one moment alone with Historia, before he had to leave her again. Even if it was just to ask her to explain herself.

"Alright. After the service - meet me at the East Gate. I can't wait for long, so don't be late."

Floch shoved George against the stonework.

"What the fuck is she doing here!?"

George grimaced, but he didn't back down from the soldier's angry glare. "She came to say good-bye to her friend," he said evenly as the two men regarded each other in the shadow of Wall Sina.

Floch had collared him just after they'd left the carriage and Historia had dipped away into the gatehouse, despite George's protests during the journey here at how risky her intentions to meet up with Levi were. The red-head had obviously been following them after the service.

"Those weren't Eren's orders."

"True. I don't think Eren banked on losing someone so close to her, though."

He wasn't going to be intimidated by Floch. It struck him how the guy suddenly seemed all the more confident, now that Eren's plans were really gaining traction. Perhaps he felt a little more assured of their successful outcome in light of recent events.

"You need to go in there and get her, and drag her ass back to that farmhouse, and fucking keep her there!"

George bristled at the way Floch got in his face. He hadn't noticed quite how much of an idiot the guy was up until this point. Levi's knife still sat at his belt, hidden by his jacket. It wasn't like he was going to use it or anything, but at least he could warn Floch off if things continued to get heated.

He shoved his hand in his pocket, next to the cool blade. "Look - I don't know who - "

"Everything alright here, gentlemen?" The gravelly voice which cut through the tension was vaguely familiar.

George's hand left his pocket as he turned. He recognised the man approaching them as Commander Pixis of the Garrison. Edward had told him a fair bit about him, and he knew from Levi that the man had given his word to protect the Queen before the Scouts had left for Marley. He glanced sideways at Floch.

"Yes, Commander. We were just catching up after Floch's return from Marley."

George watched as the man's wrinkle-framed eyes flicked over to the royal carriage, which sat vacant at the edge of the road before the gatehouse. He looked back over the pair slowly, and George wondered whether he could sense the tension.

"Ah, yes. How are you finding the Survey Corps these days, Forster?"

Floch snapped his heels together as his fist met his chest in a firm salute. "Excellent, sir."

"Well, very good. Is Her Majesty Queen Historia with you?"

George stepped forwards, pushing past Floch. "Yes. She requested to see Captain Levi, before he leaves for his next mission. They're in the gatehouse."

"Ah, I see. That explains why Ackerman and Kirschtein are guarding a carriage across the wall. Well; please give them both my regards, Mr. Wagner. It's such a shame you never chose the military life - your brother is a credit to the Garrison Regiment. I'm sure you'd make a fine soldier, too." The Commander's moustache curled upwards as he smiled at George, before he turned back to regard Floch. "Forster, I hate to cut this reunion short, but there's something I think Commander Hange wanted assistance with."

George didn't miss the way Floch shot daggers at him as he slunk off with Pixis. He would have to mention to Edward how much he liked his Commander, the next time he got to speak to him.

When Historia arrived, she looked distraught. Her eyes were even redder than before, and the collar of her formal jacket was stained dark with moisture.

Jean and Mikasa were standing guard for him beside the carriage containing Zeke. They were good soldiers; they followed Levi's orders even when they seemed a bit strange.

Levi caught her around the middle as she walked into the little room off the gatehouse, careful not to knock too hard against her protruding stomach, and before she could utter a cry of surprise, he'd crushed his mouth against hers.

She tasted of salt and sorrow.

She kissed him back just as desperately, her hands cupping his jaw. He pulled away, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry I left you." He could feel the tension in her little frame as he held her.

"No - please, don't apologise. I'm just grateful that you're …" her voice shook, her hands falling to his shoulders. He felt her fingernails dig into his skin through the fabric of his jacket, as though she needed to check that he really wasn't just some ghostly apparition. "… You're home."

He sighed, then kissed her forehead. "Yeah. I am." His hands rested either side of her belly.

"Levi?"

"Hm?"

"I … have to tell you …"

But her next words were lost to him. Because, as he stood with his hands pressed to her swollen abdomen, he felt something that made his heart flip. The smallest nudge against his palm. Like a tiny elbow, or even a knee, barging against his grip. His eyes grew wide, and he pulled his hands away as though burned. In the same moment, Historia let out a gasp.

"Wha -"

"Did you feel that!?" Her bold, blue irises bulged up at him.

He half chuckled, half spluttered. "Yeah - yeah, I did. Shit - was that - ?"

"Yes! They kicked."

Levi ran his fingers through his hair. His heart was racing. "Fuck, Historia."

"Levi! They can hear you!"

He didn't care about the way she was glaring at him. In that moment, he didn't care about her secret conversation with Eren, either. Or the fact that he had the Beast Titan waiting in a carriage for him on the other side of the wall. All he could focus on was the fact that he'd just felt his own child kick for the first time.

He just looked at her for a moment, before the stupidest shitty smile spread across his face. He tried to purse his lips, but he couldn't shake it. His hands returned to her stomach. "Come on, brat. Do it again. If you can hear me, kick my damn hand."

"Levi! - Oh!"

They both jumped at the little pop in her stomach.

"Ha - the kid has a better right hook than you."

"Told you they could hear you."

She cocked her brow at him. He arched a brow back. Then he pulled her into another tight hug. "I've missed you."

Her voice was muffled against his shirt. "I've missed you, too."

She went quiet as he held her. Her shoulders began to shake, and he knew she was crying again.

"Hey …" He pulled back, tipping her chin up so that he could look at her properly. "How was the service?"

She shook her head, reaching to wipe at her face. "Okay. Commander Hange said some nice things about everyone."

Yeah, that sounded about right. Hange was always so much better than him with this shit.

"Good."

A heavy silence settled between them. He wondered if she was thinking about the part she'd played in the whole sorry affair. The way she'd locked away vital information that might have helped them. Helped him. And yet, now that it was all done, he almost didn't want to know her reasoning. He'd waited so long to be alone with her, so that he could ask her what the hell had possessed her. But just now he'd felt their child kick for the first time - it seemed cruel that something should be allowed to ruin that moment.

"Losing Sasha was fucking bullshit, you know." He didn't look at her. His gaze settled on the patchy stonework of the opposite wall. "We were already on the airship ... it was just a kid. A kid with a gun. An Eldian kid with a gun."

She took a shaky breath, and he knew in that moment she couldn't look at him, either. "Levi ... I made a mistake ..."

Fuck it. He couldn't listen to her say it aloud. "Yeah. I know you did." His words were blunt. He didn't care.

She looked at him then, and he hoped for once his feelings were painted clear as day across his face, because he didn't want to have to say it all aloud to her.

"Oh."

Oh.

Yeah, oh.

The hurt in Levi's gaze was agony. He knew already?

"Did Eren tell you ... ?"

"Did he fuck, Historia. I had one of those shitty dreams, like you have, I guess. It was at the Banquet, wasn't it? When he told you he had something planned?"

She flinched at his harsh retort, but she wouldn't shrink away from her mistake. She deserved his anger. "I'm sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing, for all of us. I thought -"

"You thought wrong."

She balled her fists. "Yes. Clearly. And believe me, now I'm paying for it. Sasha wasn't just your squad member, you know."

Historia hated how this had escalated. She hated how she now stood here at odds with Levi, because of Eren. One moment, she was in his arms, he was feeling his child kick for the very first time, and now ...

He took a step back from her, fixing her with a severe gaze.

"Historia ... I need to know I can trust you. If you're going to hide things from us ... from me, then how can we carry on like this?"

Her heart thundered. "It won't happen again." If he could see her memories now, the way she saw his ... well, it wasn't as though she could keep anything from him even if she wanted to, was it? She was glad, in a way, to finally be exposed to him the way he was to her. She had nothing further to hide from him.

She waited for him to fire back more angry words at her, but instead, he just sighed. When he spoke again, his voice had returned to it's usual even tone. "Historia. You're going to have to live with this regret, now. There's blood on your hands. Believe me when I say, I know how much that hurts. My hands are stained more than anyone's. Learn from it. Use it. And do not betray my damn trust again. Yeah? Twice is more than enough."

He ... was forgiving her?

She knew she didn't deserve it.

Sasha didn't deserve to be lying cold in the ground, either.

She tried to swallow down the lump in her throat. "I won't."

He looked her up and down, as though appraising her. "Well. I have to get going. That hairy bastard and I have a date with some big-ass trees. Hange knows our location - she'll keep in touch. You need me, you go to her - right?"

What? She was losing him again already?

The strange visions from the day before resurfaced, and her chest went tight all of a sudden. She stepped towards him, but her throat seemed to close over.

Levi frowned at her. "Was there something else?"

Fight. That word kept coursing through her.

He sighed heavily, before pulling her against him. His lips met hers; his clean shaven skin smooth against her cheek as he tilted his head into their kiss. It was a short-lived moment of euphoria, because as quickly as it had begun, he was turning to leave her.

"Levi, wait." Her small, pale hand caught his jacket sleeve. "Zeke … do you think he really is our ally?"

He halted, but didn't look at her. "I thought Eren was our ally, until very recently."

She went quiet. He endured the silence for as long as possible, before turning back to face her. She was staring at her feet; it looked like she was deliberating on something. He kept his face neutral, waiting for the confession he was sure was coming. She did know something else.

What he was actually met with made his soul go cold.

"If it comes down to it, bring Zeke to me."

He stared at her, mouth agape and eyes wide. "What …?"

"You know what I'm saying. If things change, bring him to me, and we'll finish it together, Levi."

"Don't be ridiculous. The whole reason we're in this situation is so that you don't have to do that."

"True. Maybe we can still trust Eren's plan. Maybe Zeke is our ally. Maybe I won't have to. But please, Levi. If you find yourself in a place where there's no other option - if you're in danger - if it needs to be me, to save Paradis - I am ready to make that sacrifice now. I owe it to everyone who has given up their life to get us here. I owe it … to Sasha."

Levi pressed his fingertips into his eyes, before pinching the bridge of his nose. This was fucking crazy. She was fucking crazy. The tiny voice at the back of his head telling him that, based on Eren's recent behaviour and Zeke's past record, there was a good chance it may come down to needing her to do it could just fuck off to hell.

"And what about the kid, huh?"

Historia's hand smoothed the formal khaki coat over the sizeable dome of her stomach. "I don't have long left. Once it's born, you can use me as needed."

"Use you …? Fuck, Historia. If you're turned, you'll only have thirteen years at the most! Thirteen is no age to -" His voice cracked, to his horror. He wanted to rake his own eyes out. At least Thirteen was twice the age he'd been when he'd lost his own mother. He cleared his throat. "You're going to be a mother. The kid - it's going to need you. This situation was supposed to be different from … us. What we -"

"It is," Historia cut in resolutely. "Because this child will have a father. It will have you."

He scoffed. Like that was any consolation at all. But Historia didn't seem to give a damn about his reaction. To his eyes, she suddenly looked like a little tree, rooted to the spot and immovable in the face of the storm.

"I said this to you once, atop the Wall at Orvud District. I'll say it to you again. You were the one, Levi, who told me I needed to choose whether to run, or to fight."

Fuck.

Fuck him, and his stupid words. Why could he never, ever say the right damn thing? That conversation with her was going to haunt him for the rest of his days, clearly.

Her eyes were shining as she stared him down, that beautiful defiance glistening like finely cut glass, and he knew what was coming. But like hell he'd give her up that easily, if it could be helped. They'd come too far already. She was pregnant with his child, for fuck's sake. He'd only agreed to it so she could be saved from the shitty fate of becoming the Beast Titan.

A single tear streaked down her cheek. "I'm tired of running away from this, Levi. From him. I'm not scared anymore."

Erwin's voice rang out in his head. Kill the Beast Titan.

Historia swept the tear away with her thumb. "I choose to fight."

And that, friends, concludes REVELATION. Our next and final arc, is DELIVERANCE.